The European Film Market, running alongside the 51st Berlin International Film Festival

Photo: Eugene Hernandez/indieWIRE

(indieWIRE/02.12.01) — Don’t be surprised if the fifth Dogme film, LoneScherfig‘s “Italian For Beginners” (Italiensk For Begyndere), is acquired byMiramax. That was the buzz yesterday among buyers as the first weekend ofthe Berlin Film Festival came to a close. Writer/director Scherfig describesher comedy, which debuted in Denmark two months ago, as a “lighthearted,effervescent film.” A 1984 gradute of the National Film School in Denmark,made her feature film debut more than ten years ago with “The Birthday Trip“(Kajs Fodselsdag). Her second feature, “On Our Own” (Nar Mor Kommer Hjem), won the grand prize at the Montreal Film Festival.

A press rep for the film did not return a call seeking confirmation of theMiramax pact and Annakarin Strom of Trust Film Sales indicated that any dealnews would come from Miramax. The film, one of the buzz movies at theconcurrent European Film Market, is playing in competition at the BerlinFilm Festival.

On the other end of the distribution spectrum, acclaimed photographer andfilmmaker Bruce Weber‘s autobiographical “Chop Suey” — screening in thePanorama here — is stirring interest among a number of smaller theatricaldistributors. All eyes are on Zeitgeist as a potential suitor. “Chop Suey,”shot by Lance Accord, Douglas Cooper and Jim Fealy, looks at a diversity of photographs to create a portrait of the artist himself.

Like the city it inhabits, the Berlinale — aka the InternationaleFilmfestspiele Berlin — is in the midst of change. At the ripe old age of51, the event is in its second year housed at Berlin’s upstart would-be citycenter, Potsdamer Platz, and when the event ends it will mark the departureof longtime Festival Director, Moritz de Hadeln.

De Hadeln has been at the helm of this Festival for 2 decades and is leavingless than amicably. “It has been decided that after 22 years, this shouldbe my last festival as director of the event,” de Hadeln wrote in hiswelcome message to Festival attendees. Today in indieWIRE, feature writerBrandon Judell offers a bit more of de Hadeln’s thoughts. In the meantime,many here are wondering how the Festival might change once the new head,Dieter Kosslick, is installed in May.

Kosslick is coming to the Festival from Filmstiftung NRW where he serves asCEO. Founded in 1991, the company is described as a “promotional filmorganization” aimed at “creating jobs through great filmmaking.” Ultimately,a support for the more than 200,000 people who work in the media industry inNorth Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), Filmstiftung also has a hand in the FilmCommission and The Internationale FilmSchule Koln.

The Berlinale Palast, headquarters of the 51st Berlin International Film Festival

Photo: Eugene Hernandez/indieWIRE

Just as some Berliners complain about the way that the city has changedsince Potsdamer Platz — aka “Lego Town” — grew from the barren land onceinhabited by the Berlin Wall, some longtime Festival attendees have grumbledabout the way the event has changed since moving from its digs in the West.As a Berlin virgin, it would be unfair to speculate, but exiting FestivalDirector Moritz de Hadeln offered his own assessment in his welcome remarks,“The move was on the whole welcomed last year by the majority attending.” AsBerlin makes a play to become what one taxicab driver last night called “aworld city,” it seems only fitting that the new era for the Berlinale wouldalso be remembered as a time when the Festival rooted itself in the verysoil that once divided this city. [Eugene Hernandez]

>> Lions Gate Nabs “Liam”

(indieWIRE/02.12.01) — Stephen Frears‘ “Liam,” which debuted at the Venice Film Festival and screened in Toronto, has been acquired by Lions Gate. The company confirmed the pact in an announcement Friday. Lions Gate bought therights from The Sales Company and will release the movie this summer. It waswritten by Jimmy McGovern (“Priest,” “Cracker“).

“Liam is one of Stephen Frears’ most poignant and memorable films. Hismasterful touch with actors and storytelling has resulted in anothercinematic triumph which we are thrilled to be bringing to the Americanpublic,” commented Lions Gate’s Co-President Tom Ortenberg in a preparedstatement.

Reviewing the movie for indieWIRE during the Toronto International FilmFestival, critic Eddie Cockrell called the movie, “a small film from adirector with a big heart.” Continuing he wrote, “‘Liam’ is a slight film ina formidable career, a reaffirmation of Frears’ determined approach tobalancing Hollywood filmmaking with more personal stories of his homeland.And that’s a tradition that should be kept alive.” [Eugene Hernandez]